2.2.4.1- The Learning Tools
Based on Bohum discourse, Senge has identified two major tools for team learning viz.,
Dialogue and Discussions.
- Dialogue: Dialogue is a powerful tool of getting unbiased feedback as one is able to
strike a conversation thus giving one the exact picture what the other person is trying to
communicate. Getting into dialogue helps to frankly evaluate ones own opinion as well as
other people’s opinion because one is not playing defensive about ones opinion. Hitt has
defined dialogue as something where “The members share their mental models. They
discuss openly the assumptions underlying their mental models and how they arrived at
them.”(1996)
As this is purely a voluntary action so one is ready to listen to any contradictory
views to that of ones own. Dialogue is not for the purpose to win the agreements, but to
share ones views with others and listen to the views of others. (Senge, 1990)
Dialogue is not just for the purpose to understand the people but also helps in
getting through to their ideas more objectively. Dialogue may lead to increase in
organizational activity (Smith, 2001), but it also clears the way for taking appropriate
decisions. It involves free and creative exploration of complex issues and may deviate
from the point started as dialogue.
Visions that are truly shared take time to emerge. They grow as a by-product
of the interactions of varied individual visions. Experience suggests that
visions that are genuinely shared require ongoing conversation, where
individuals not only feel free to express their dreams but learn how to listen to
each others' dreams. (Senge, 1990)